Focus

Merit Kitchens dominates its market by being innovative with its cabinets. For Merit Kitchens, the word “merit” is more than just a name – it is also a reflection of the company’s business philosophy. “We pride ourselves on providing good quality at a fair price,” President Frank W. Siekmann says. Based in Surrey, British Columbia, Merit Kitchens manufactures multiple collections of kitchen and bathroom cabinets and sells them through independent dealers and two retail outlets. Siekmann says the company’s roots go back to 1974, when a group of craftsmen started the company in Burnaby, British Columbia.

After an unforeseen halt, JE Dunn worked diligently with the project team to develop a new plan. By Jamie Morgan. Woman’s Hospital in Baton Rouge, La., outgrew its current space long ago. In 2005, the specialty healthcare provider concluded its hospital was undersized for its current needs by six percent and by more than 26 percent for its projected 2012 goals.

MW Builders is tapping into more than 20 years of military experience. By Jim Harris. MW Builders’ work on a major housing development at one of the largest military bases in the nation is both a first for the company and the latest in a 20-year history of successful projects. Last June, MW Builders – which has offices in Texas and Kansas - started work on the $49.6 million Advanced Individual Training (AIT) barracks project at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo. The project is the first MW Builders has performed at the U.S. Army base, Project Manager Aaron Hoelscher says.

BBL Builders leads the way in the redevelopment of a former housing project. The first phase of the transformation of a former 1940s public housing project in New Orleans into a community of affordable town homes and apartment units is now complete. General Contractor BBL Builders of Dallas recently finished work on the Columbia Parc at the Bayou District development on the site of the former St. Bernard’s housing project, razed following damage sustained during Hurricane Katrina.

Anyone quoting the phrase “there’s nothing new happening under the sun” while Flintlock Construction Services LLC is in operation will find themselves sorely mistaken. This open-shop contractor traces roots back to a four-generation construction family, rich in history but continuously evolving into the future.

Southern California soon will have a much-needed new final resting place for U.S. veterans. San Diego-based contractor Kevcon Inc. started work in August 2010 on developing a 50-acre site near Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego into a national cemetery. The project is a joint venture between Kevcon and Tel Tech Plus, Inc., a San Marcos, Calif.-based firm. The project is on track for completion in July 2011.

Public transportation has come a long way since the 1970s, when the concepts of sustainability and greater efficiency were still in their nascent stages. As one of the fastest-growing cities in the United States, Raleigh, N.C., has continuously updated its fleet of public buses to keep up with the demand its growing population has placed on its transit system.

Jezowski & Markel (J&M) Contractors Inc. hasn’t had much use for slick marketing gimmicks for most of its 58-year history. Instead, the specialty concrete subcontractor has benefitted from the word-of-mouth referrals from general contractors throughout Southern California. “We have excellent relationships with general contractors, and it’s represented by the repeat business we get,” says Joseph Dean, vice president of construction.